Improvement in corsets



E. S. WELDON.

consm.

No. 189,672. Patented April 17, 1877.

ATTBBNEYS.

N. PETERS, PHOTO LITHOGRAPNER, WASHINGTON. D C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIGE.

ELIZABETH WELDON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORSETS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 189,672, dated April 17, 1877; application filed January 13, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ELIZABETH STowELL WELDON, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Extension-Gorset, of which the following is a specification:

Figure 1 is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a view of the inner side of one-half of the corset.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The invention will first be described in connection with drawing, and then pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the drawing, A is the body of the corset, the two halves of which are united by the ordinary lacing behind, and by any ordinary fastening in front. The gores. in front are detached from a point, a, downward, and the opening thus made is covered by a wing or flap, b, which is provided with eyelets along its free edge.

B is a narrow flap attached to the front, and provided with eyelets corresponding in number with those of the flap b, and o is a lacingthat passes through the eyelets of the flaps B b.

The gores at the side are detached from d and e downward, leaving the tongue f. Over the seams at the sides of the tongue the flaps g h are placed. The flap g is attached to the body of the corset at 'i, and the flap h is similarly attached at j.

The free .edges of the flaps g h overlap the tongue f,and are provided with eyelets near their free edges for receiving a lacing, k.

The part 0, which supports the breast, consists of a triangular tongue, I, attached at its apex to the body of the corset by means of a strip, m, through which two steel stays run. Stays n diverge from a point near the apex of the triangular tongue, and run nearly parallel with the sides of the said tongue to its upper edge.

Transverse stays o and p are also attached to the inner surface of the tongue l, and are drawn in and confined at their ends, so that they cause the said tongue to assume a convex form. The transverse stay 10 projects beyond the sides of the tongue, forming ears q. (Shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.)

Curved gores 1' r connect the strip m and the adjoining portions of the corset, and give a graceful form to the lower portion of the part 0. The gores r, from their upper point of attachment to the strip m, are sloped or tapered, being narrowest at the upper edge of the corset. To this portion of the said gores triangular wings or flaps s are attached, having their widest ends uppermost. These flaps overlap the tongue Z, and are provided with eyelets at intervals along their free edges, for receiving the lacing t. Eyelets u u are placed in the tongue I to receive the ends of the lacing t, which is tied on the inside of the said tongue.

Pockets D are provided at the inner side of the flaps s, for receiving the ears q. The edges of these pockets are provided with eyelets for receiving the lacing 'v.

The size and shape of the lower portion of the corset. may be varied by tightening or loosening the lacings c It; and the prominence of the part 0 may be varied by tightening or loosening the lacing t; and should it be desirable to increase the rigidity of the part 0 it may be done by tightening the lacing '0, which draws the ends of the transverse stay 1) together more or less, and gives greater convexity to the part 0, and at the same time holds it in the desired position.

It is designed to make the corset extensible at the front and at the sides, as shown in the drawing, or to make them extensible at either side or front, as may be required.

It will be seen that the device 0 may be used in a corset without the lower portion being made extensible; and it may be desirable to make a corset having the lower portion only extensible. It may also be desirable to extend the front portion downward, and extend the lacings from one side to the other across the front of the corset, when it will also serve as an abdominal supporter. Therefore I do not confine myself to the precise arrangement of parts herein described.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A corset in which an eyeleted tongue, I, is combined with a strip, m, stays n o p, gores r, eyeleted flaps s, and lacings t o, as and for the purpose specified.

ELIZABETH STOWELL WELDON. 

